1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image fixing device for use in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and the like. More specifically, the present invent:ion relates to a roller-type fixing device in which an image carried by a recording member is fixed to the recording member as the recording member is clamped between and conveyed by a pair of rollers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, various image fixing methods for image forming apparatus have been proposed. Among these proposed methods, a roller-type fixing method, more particularly a heat roller type fixing method, has been used widely in which an image is fixed to an image carrying recording member as the recording member is made to pass through a nip between a heating roller backup roller.
FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a known image fixing device of the heat roller type, while FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the fixing device. The fixing device has a frame 1 which is composed of left and right side panels 1a and 1b and upper and lower stays 1c and 1d connected between side panels 1a and 1b. The frame 1 rotatably supports and accommodates the fixing roller 2 and the pressing roller 4.
This fixing device is assembled by assembling the frame 1 and then mounting the fixing roller 2 and the pressing roller 4 or, alternatively, by assembling the frame 1 while simultaneously mounting the fixing roller 2 and the pressing roller 4. In both cases, it is necessary to move the fixing roller 2 and the pressing roller 4 into the frame or half-finished frame from lateral sides of tile side panels 1a and 1b. This undesirably impairs production efficiency.
In addition, special assembly jigs are required for assembling the left and right side panels 1a and 1b and upper and lower stays 1c and 1d at high dimensional precision.